Apocalypto (2006)

Apocalypto Synopsis

A heart stopping mythic action-adventure set against the turbulent end times of the once great Mayan civilization. When his idyllic existence is brutally disrupted by a violent invading force, a man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression where a harrowing end awaits him. Through a twist of fate and spurred by the power of his love for his woman and his family he will make a desperate break to return home and to ultimately save his way of life.

Mel Gibson may be batty as hell (as evidenced by the wacky, subliminal picture of himself inserted into the first Apocalypto trailer), but that doesnï¿½t mean heï¿½s not a rather talented filmmaker. Crazy people often make the best artists.

Say what you will about The Passion of the Christ, anti-Semitic, overly violent, whatever, itï¿½s a well made, beautifully shot film. Thereï¿½s nothing safe about it either. Mel has proven himself as a filmmaker willing to be experimental, willing to take seemingly insane risks. So far, those wacky risks have paid off.

Heï¿½ll continue his tour of ancient languages with Apocalypto, another movie filmed in a tongue no one understands. This time though, the risks get a little bit bigger. Not only is he filming in a language his audience canï¿½t speak, heï¿½s using actors his audience doesnï¿½t know. Shunning the Hollywood talent pool, heï¿½s casting local villagers to play a lot of the major roles in his major film. Good luck finding a cast list, there isnï¿½t one available yet. It doesnï¿½t get more unknown.

Under those conditions, is anyone going to want to see it? Will it end up as a beautifully shot film thatï¿½s acted like a bad bout of community theater? Who knows, but if youï¿½re taking action I wouldnï¿½t bet against Gibson.